Gunman on life support after being beaten on street

Tribune photo illustration

Tribune photo illustration

Tribune photo illustration

By Rosemary R. SobolTribune reporter

A shooting in the West Humboldt Park neighborhood overnight had an unusual ending: The victim was barely injured and the gunman was left on life support after witnesses chased him down and beat him, police said.

About 11:50 p.m. Monday, the 19-year-old gunman exited a green van and confronted a 23-year-old man in the 1100 block of North Keystone Avenue, a "hotbed" of narcotics transactions, police said. The assailant tried to shoot the victim but the weapon malfunctioned and during a subsequent struggle for the gun, the gun discharged and hit the victim in the shoulder, police said.

The gunman then threw the weapon to the ground and began running away. Someone else hopped into the green van and took off with it.

Witnesses who'd apparently seen the shooting chased after the gunman and "severely stomped the offender in the head" until police got to the scene.

The gunman suffered major head trauma and was taken toJohn H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook Countywhere he is in critical condition and is breathing with the assistance of a machine, police said.